No pictures, but it failed the MOT on random assortment of brake issues. Arse.

One thing else was that once the engine got up to temp, there was quite a leak evident. This is coming from the oil supply union - I think I've damaged the thread when I reconnected this up - is it possible to retap this, or somehow fix the issue in-situ?

Hmm, it'd be tricky and you're going to risk getting swarf in the oilway. Did you use new copper washers in the right places? I always get really nervous tightening into ally, especially engine blocks.

The standard oil feed pipes are notorious for fracturing (at least, they are on my cars), i much prefer the flexible braided pipes ECAS do.

Me? Buy the correct little bits from Ecas when I could be buying shiny bits? Don't be silly.

I was also nervous when tightening, but I suspect not nervous enough. Still - I'll take a close look (was in work clothes so couldn't crawl around underneath). Yes, I guess swarf will be my enemy

Need a helicoil set - every time I've taken the heads off, regardless of how careful I've been tightening the unions up again, I've stripped the bloody things out - it can be done with the engine in situ but its a real bugger - best do it when its out on a bench....

argh! Oh well - needs must I guess!

Cheers, Ben

Ben,
with the wings off, it is possible to 'open up' the cylinder cowlings and get access to the cylinder head oil feed pipe.
If you remove the banjo bolt and there are tiny slivers of alloy held between its threads, the thread in the head is failing and will need to be helicoiled.

If the thread's still good, check that the surface of the head is flat and smooth, clean it with a small file it it isn't, also anneal the copper washer(s) by heating them to cherry red and letting them cool in air.
A torque wrench is indispensible when tightening these banjo bolts, as is a 16mm open-ended spanner to hold the hexagon on OE type oil feed pipes and prevent them being dragged round as the bolt is tightened.

ken

thanks Ken (again)

I'll take the wings off when my 99p brake shoes arrive from ebay. Hopefully they'll fit my Citroen, rather than the citreon that they were advertised for!

Ben,
hope those 99p bargains aren't rear shoes, incorrectly described as front shoes by a vendor in the Nottingham area...

ken

Whatever you do, DON'T attempt to tighten your oil feed pipes to the torque setting given in the Haynes manual. That's a sure fire way to strip the thread.